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The “Cattle Market” of Cán Cấu in Si Ma Cai, Lào Cai has been well known all over the Northwestern region for its uniqueness and wildness.

This is one of the largest cattle market in the Northwestern since everyday there are hundreds of buffalos from many different villages in the regions of Bắc Hà, Si Ma Cai, Mường Khương, even from the Sín Mần district of Hà Giang province all gather for the cattle fair.

The buffalo here are normally oriented and selective ones. They are strong & healthy with big muscle in shinny black body shape together with the bended sharp horns.

The majority of the buffalos in the market are male buffalos and they are aggressive. Every few minutes there is a fight happens that makes tourists coming here have to watch out and be aware all the time.

The market attracts many tourists both domestic and international come to visit and take pictures.People come here to buy buffalos, sell buffalos or just come to experience and enjoy the cattle fair.People gather in groups next to the buffalos to discuss, negotiate and exchange information with each other.

As the largest buffalo fair in the Northwestern, each market fair sell up to hundreds of buffalos with different purposes like: for breeding, farming, or for the meat…

For the farmer, each buffalo is their fortune and a big asset, yet they normally sell their buffalo based on oral contract and negotiation. For example, the buffalo on the picture above is sold for almost 40 million VND.

It is quite easy to spot out the buffalo dealers since they normally wear a brocade bag or backpack on their shoulders. In each market fair, they carry hundreds of millions VND to buy cattles.

The market fair happens every Saturday on the hill side of Cán Chư Sử, in the Cán Cấu commune of Si Ma Cai district in Lào Cai province. The market last until the early afternoon when all the buffalos dealers gather all their buffalos on the truck while the other buying other necessary accessories before taking all the buffalos back to their villages.